"Impromptu"

[meli]

Hi guys, has anyone watched the movie "Impromptu"? I think the actor is Hugh Grant as Chopin? I've been trying to get the CD but none of the stores have it. Its finally showing this Sat on TV !! I don't know why but I would love to watch the movie on Chopin's life, but the problem is my teacher wants me to watch a piano concert of Ravel Piano Concerto in G Major on the same day. Just wondering, if its a good movie, if not I'd give it a miss and attend the concert

[Derek]

Impromptu is an amazing movie. It is funny, full of Chopin's great music, and its a fun love story as well. And makes male pianists fantasize about having a woman worship their music and listen to it lying down under the piano.

[Motrax]

I liked the movie, although I thought there were a number of boring stretches here and there. The actors play their parts very convincingly though, and the music (mostly played by Emmanuel Ax, I think) is also very good. It wasn't my favorite movie, but it's still worth watching if you've the time.

[arensky]

I enjoyed it, as far as movies about 19th Century composers go, it was great, well developed plot wise without the overacting and overdramatizing that most movies about Romantic composers seem to engender. Particularly good are Hugh Grant as Chopin and Bernadette Peters as Marie d'Agoult, and the photography is very beautiful.

[allthumbs]

I would tape the show off the TV and go to the concert. You can watch the movie anytime, but a 'live' concert is just once to experience.

[jas]

I love that film! I don't feel that it portrays Chopin terribly accurately -- he has absolutely no sense of humour, no cattiness, no mischievousness (is that even a word?) or really anything much except impeccable manners, an easily-offended system of morals and his G minor Ballade.

But, even though I've managed to make it sound rubbish, it really isn't. If you take it for what it is  you'll probably really enjoy it. It's a lovely feel-good film, and despite its historical liberties, it's a lot of fun to "see" Chopin, Liszt, Sand, Marie d'Agoult etc. I think it's great.

Jas